Paul Ranger

[Morguee]

Liked what i saw from MacWilliams actually.

So did I but Ranger is the poster boy right now that preseason is not a very good gauge for what will happen in the regular season. Give MacWilliams a little time in the AHL to prove he is the real deal, although Ranger is proving that is not much of a gauge either.

 

[Mess]

Ranger looks to be struggling with the speed of the NHL game and likely needs some time to adjust again.

 

[TieClark]

Ranger looks to be struggling with the speed of the NHL game and likely needs some time to adjust again.

This is it exactly. He's a step behind right now because he hasn't adjusted to the speed of the game, but he is going to be very, very solid for us by the end of the year. He knows what he's supposed to be doing, he's physical, he's solid positionally... he just needs some time to adjust to the speed of the game which he has showed he can do while he was with Tampa.

 

[Morbo]

You guys have no patience. It's been 4 games. 4.

 

[TieClark]

You guys have no patience. It's been 4 games. 4.

It's pretty ridiculous.... the same thing with Gardiner too.

 

[Ralphy*]

Even if Ranger was playing as well as he can, I think I'd still prefer
Phaneuf - Gunnarsson
Gardiner - Franson
Fraser - Rielly
(I forgot handedness so ignore that aspect of this)

 

[Rob11]

It's pretty ridiculous.... the same thing with Gardiner too.

It hasn't been 4 games. Ranger played most of the pre season which was 8 games long

 

[Patty Lee]

It hasn't been 4 games. Ranger played most of the pre season which was 8 games long

preseason <> nhl game

 

[TieClark]

It hasn't been 4 games. Ranger played most of the pre season which was 8 games long

The pre-season where half the teams are AHLer and junior players doesn't help him adapt to the speed of the NHL.

 

[Tak7]

You guys have no patience. It's been 4 games. 4.

Given that making the playoffs in this league are tough, I say there's no time for patience.

Given the conference/divisional changes, which have statistically and obviously made it even more difficult to make the playoffs, I say there's no time for patience.

Given that the playoffs will be even more of a dogfight this season, and every 2 points is crucial, I say there's no time for patience.

We finished 5 points behind the Bruins last season. A big reason for why the gap was 5 points, was because Carlyle was patient with Holzer, when in truth it was clear for almost 2 weeks that this guy wasn't NHL ready. Patience potentially cost us home-ice, or at the very least a closer gap than 5 points.

I understand the need to be patient, but when it's literally costing you points, then what?

 

[DaveT83*]

Still early - but not looking good for Paul ... the troubling part is that the longer he struggles - the more the pressure will mount - the more likely he is to collapse underneath it.

 

[Tak7]

The other thing I would add re. criticism of Carlyle;

If you have a young, high potential Dman trying to establish his game, who is struggling badly in his own zone, why the heck are we playing him with someone who hasn't played in the NHL for a couple of years?

Find him a more defensively sound partner and watch Gardiner grow.

That Gardiner-Ranger pairing is a disaster right now. The winning goal in the Avs game was laughable. Ranger "coasting" on the back check, Gardiner going for a swim.

Split them up.

 

[Rogie]

Given that making the playoffs in this league are tough, I say there's no time for patience.

Given the conference/divisional changes, which have statistically and obviously made it even more difficult to make the playoffs, I say there's no time for patience.

Given that the playoffs will be even more of a dogfight this season, and every 2 points is crucial, I say there's no time for patience.

We finished 5 points behind the Bruins last season. A big reason for why the gap was 5 points, was because Carlyle was patient with Holzer, when in truth it was clear for almost 2 weeks that this guy wasn't NHL ready. Patience potentially cost us home-ice, or at the very least a closer gap than 5 points.

I understand the need to be patient, but when it's literally costing you points, then what?

Do you think Ranger has cost us points yet?

Phaneuf and Gunnar each have 2 points, but, the remaining Dmen have none.

Phaneuf and Ranger are both +1, Gunnar's -1, Rielly's -3, the rest 0. Not sure how Ranger has cost any points thus far.

Plus he is 2 goal posts away from having 2 goals iirc.

 

[The Winter Soldier]

Going to give him 20 games before we know what we have here. Sample is too small at the moment to say he is not a worthy player this year.

 

[WildcatMapleLeafs28]

People are panicking way too early. Ranger is going to take half a dozen games to get used to the speed and get his timing right. It's an adjustment. I know he didn't have the best night but he wasn't horrible. I think he'll settle in fine. He did leave for a portion of the game too so he may have a minor injury.

 

[FlareKnight]

People are panicking way too early. Ranger is going to take half a dozen games to get used to the speed and get his timing right. It's an adjustment. I know he didn't have the best night but he wasn't horrible. I think he'll settle in fine. He did leave for a portion of the game too so he may have a minor injury.

Unfortunately that's a good amount of points that could be lost. This is a team trying to make the playoffs. They can only spend so much time carrying Ranger as dead weight on an already inexperienced defensive group.

But what you are saying is that in 2 games he'll be up to speed then ?

 

[CellarDweller0]

I don't understand how anyone can think they can evaluate Ranger on such a small sample size. 20 games.

 

[dfunk]

I don't understand how anyone can think they can evaluate Ranger on such a small sample size. 20 games.

I 100% agree that people are throwing him under the bus way too early, but i think 20 is a bit of a stretch. I'd be more inclined to give hime 10-15. Plus, even if he doesn't really pan out there isn't much issue having him as our 7th and have him for insurance.

 

[Rogie]

I don't understand how people can think he has played that bad. He's no allstar but his mistakes are hardly worse than the other players.

Franson, from behind the net, served up a tape to tape pass right across the front of the net to an opposition player in the slot. It didn't end up in the net but it could have.

 

[sniper81]

I still think ranger will get back up to speed of the NHL and hopefully his decision making on when to pinch returns as well. Don't want to hit the panic button but hopefully he figures it out soon.

 

[Patience]

How come no one moans about forwards like they do about defensemen? I swear I've seen just about every Leafs' defensemen called garbage here apart from Rielly (give it time he's new). It isn't as easy to play NHL defense as I think many of us seem to think it is. It's a position of mistakes. The fortunate thing is there is no consensus on the whipping boy yet although it's getting close with Ranger.

 

[Tyler Biggs*]

Perhaps, we could give him more than 4 games to prove himself?

We can consider calling up say Andrew MacWilliam if Ranger continues to struggle.

 

[eddieO]

I saw some plays Ranger made last night that actually were good. Of course, most fans will look at the two on one with him coasting back and make a judgement on his entire game based on that.

Ranger just needs to play better positionally until he can get that extra half a step back to keep up with the NHL.

BTW had that shot that rang off the post in OT against the Sens went in, Ranger would be regarded much differently around here.

 

[zeke]

James Mirtle @mirtle
Carlyle: "We give Paul Ranger the benefit of the doubt coming back off of an absence from the NHL, like we do our younger players."

 

[Morbo]

Given that making the playoffs in this league are tough, I say there's no time for patience.

Given the conference/divisional changes, which have statistically and obviously made it even more difficult to make the playoffs, I say there's no time for patience.

Given that the playoffs will be even more of a dogfight this season, and every 2 points is crucial, I say there's no time for patience.

We finished 5 points behind the Bruins last season. A big reason for why the gap was 5 points, was because Carlyle was patient with Holzer, when in truth it was clear for almost 2 weeks that this guy wasn't NHL ready. Patience potentially cost us home-ice, or at the very least a closer gap than 5 points.

I understand the need to be patient, but when it's literally costing you points, then what?

I really don't know what you're talking about, unless you're inferring the Colorado loss where we scored 1 goal and allowed 2 was Ranger's fault...